Preoperative coronary artery revascularization and long-term outcomes following abdominal aortic vascular surgery in patients with abnormal myocardial perfusion scans: a subgroup analysis of the coronary artery revascularization prophylaxis trial.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal aortic operations have the highest perioperative cardiac risk. To test the impact of preoperative coronary artery revascularization (PR) in this high-risk subset, a post hoc analysis was performed in patients undergoing aortic surgery within the Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis (CARP) trial. METHODS: The study cohort was a subset of 109 CARP patients with myocardial ischemia on nuclear imaging randomized to a strategy of PR (N = 52) or no PR (N = 57) before their scheduled abdominal aortic vascular operation. The clinical indications for vascular surgery were an expanding aneurysm (N = 62) or severe claudication (N = 47). The composite end-point of death and nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) was determined by an intention-to-treat analysis following randomization. RESULTS: The median time (Interquartiles) from randomization to vascular surgery was 56 (40, 81) days in patients assigned to PR and 19 (10, 43) days in patients assigned to no PR (P < 0.001). At 2.7 years following randomization, the probability of remaining free of death and nonfatal MI was 0.65 with PR and 0.55 with no PR [unadjusted P = 0.08, odds ratio = 1.67, 95% confidence interval (0.93, 2.99)]. Using a Cox proportional hazard model, predictors of the composite of death and nonfatal MI (odds ratio; 95% confidence interval) were no PR (1.90; 1.06-3.43; P = 0.03) and anterior ischemia on preoperative imaging (1.79; 0.99-3.23; P = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with an abnormal cardiac imaging before abdominal aortic vascular surgery, PR was associated with a reduced risk of death and nonfatal MI while anterior ischemia was an identifier of poor outcome independent of the revascularization status.

Culprit coronary lesions requiring percutaneous coronary intervention after vascular surgery often arise from in-stent restenosis of bare metal stents.

BACKGROUND: The natural history of coronary artery disease (CAD) after vascular surgery is poorly defined. The aim of this study was to determine the temporal change of coronary artery lesions requiring revascularization with a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after elective vascular surgery and to determine the utility of preoperative biomarkers on predicting those patients at risk for new coronary lesions. METHODS: The Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis Trial tested the long-term survival benefit of coronary artery revascularization before elective vascular surgery. Among randomized patients who subsequently required PCI after surgery, the stenosis of the culprit lesion from the follow-up angiogram was compared with the preoperative vessel stenosis at the identical site on the baseline angiogram. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients underwent PCI for progressive symptoms at a median of 11.5 (interquartiles: 4.5-18.5) months postsurgery. Of 30 patients, 16 (53%) had nonobstructive CAD preoperatively (group 1) with a stenosis that increased from 17 +/- 6% to 91 +/- 2% (P < 0.01) and 14 (47%) had severe CAD at the culprit site preoperatively (group 2), with a stenosis that increased 89 +/- 2% (P = 0.15). The only biomarker that was an identifier of early coronary artery lesion formation in group 1 compared with group 2 patients was a higher baseline homocysteine level (14.6 +/- 1.4 vs. 10.6 +/- 0.7 mg/dL; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Culprit coronary artery lesions requiring PCI after an elective vascular operation often arise from in-stent restenosis. Therapies that either stabilize existing plaques or prevent restenosis, particularly among patients with elevated homocysteine levels, have the greatest promise for improving postoperative outcomes.

Perioperative complications after vascular surgery are predicted by the revised cardiac risk index but are not reduced in high-risk subsets with preoperative revascularization.

BACKGROUND: The Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) is useful for risk stratifying patients before noncardiac operations. Among patients with documented coronary artery disease who undergo vascular surgery, it is unclear whether preoperative revascularization reduces postoperative cardiac complications in high-risk subsets defined by the RCRI. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis Trial was a randomized, controlled trial that tested the long-term benefit of a preoperative coronary artery revascularization before elective vascular surgery. Using preoperative baseline characteristics to determine the RCRI, we tested the benefit of preoperative revascularization on death and nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with multiple risks. Among 462 patients undergoing vascular surgery, there were 72 complications (15.6%) within 30 days postsurgery, including 15 deaths (3.2%) and 57 nonfatal myocardial infarctions (12.3%). The postoperative risk of death and nonfatal myocardial infarction after surgery increased according to the RCRI (odds ratio, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.26 to 2.38; P<0.001), with a rate of 1.6% in patients with no risk that increased to 23.4% in patients with > or =3 risks. Preoperative revascularization had no influence on the incidence of complications in any risk subset (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.50 to 1.49; P=0.60). Among those individuals with > or =2 risks who also demonstrated ischemia on a preoperative stress-imaging test (N=146), the incidence of events was 23% in patients with and without preoperative revascularization (P=0.95). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of death and nonfatal myocardial infarction is accurately predicted by the RCRI in patients undergoing vascular surgery but is not reduced in any high-risk subset of the RCRI with preoperative coronary artery revascularization.

Diagnostic coronary angiography in patients with peripheral arterial disease: a sub-study of the Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis Trial.

BACKGROUND: Although patients in need of elective vascular surgery are often considered candidates for diagnostic coronary angiography, the safety of this invasive study has not been systematically studied in a large cohort of patients scheduled for an elective vascular operation. The goal of this sub-study of the Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis (CARP) trial was to assess the safety of coronary angiography in patients with peripheral vascular disease. METHODS: The CARP trial tested the long-term benefit of coronary artery revascularization prior to elective vascular operations. Among those patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography during screening for the trial, the associated complications were determined at 24 hours following the diagnostic procedure. RESULTS: Over 5,000 patients were screened during a 4-year recruitment period at 18 major VA medical centers and the present cohort consists of 1,298 patients who underwent preoperative coronary angiography. Surgical indications for vascular surgery included an expanding aortic aneurysm (AAA) (n = 446; 34.4%) or arterial occlusive disease with either claudication (n = 457; 35.2%) or rest pain (n = 395; 30.4%). A total of 39 patients had a confirmed complication with a major complication identified in 17 patients (1.3%). Complication rates were higher in patients with arterial occlusive symptoms compared with expanding aneurysms (1.8% vs. 0.5%; P = 0.07) and were not dissimilar with femoral (2.8%) versus nonfemoral (4.7%) access sites (P = 0.42). CONCLUSIONS: Coronary angiography is safe in patients with peripheral arterial disease undergoing preoperative coronary angiography. The complication rate is higher in patients with symptoms of arterial occlusive disease.

Usefulness of revascularization of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease before elective vascular surgery for abdominal aortic and peripheral occlusive disease.

The Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis (CARP) study showed no survival benefit with preoperative coronary artery revascularization before elective vascular surgery. The generalizability of the trial results to all patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) has been questioned. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of prophylactic coronary revascularization on long-term survival in patients with multivessel CAD. Over a 4-year period, 1,048 patients underwent coronary angiography before vascular surgery during screening into the CARP trial. The cohort was composed of registry (n = 586) and randomized (n = 462) patients, and their survival was determined at 2.5 years after vascular surgery. High-risk coronary anatomy without previous bypass surgery included 2-vessel disease (n = 204 [19.5%]), 3-vessel disease (n = 130 [12.4%]), and left main coronary artery stenosis > or = 50% (n = 48 [4.6%]). By log-rank test, preoperative revascularization was associated with improved survival in patients with a left main coronary artery stenoses (0.84 vs 0.52, p <0.01) but not those with either 2-vessel (0.80 vs 0.79, p = 0.83) or 3-vessel (0.79 vs 0.71, p = 0.15) disease. In conclusion, unprotected left main coronary artery disease was present in 4.6% of patients who underwent coronary angiography before vascular surgery, and this was the only subset of patients showing a benefit with preoperative coronary artery revascularization.

Predictors and outcomes of a perioperative myocardial infarction following elective vascular surgery in patients with documented coronary artery disease: results of the CARP trial.

AIMS: The predictors and outcomes of patients with a peri-operative elevation in cardiac troponin I above the 99th percentile of normal following an elective vascular operation have not been studied in a homogeneous cohort with documented coronary artery disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis (CARP) trial was a randomized trial that tested the benefit of coronary artery revascularization prior to vascular surgery. Among 377 randomized patients, core lab samples for peak cardiac troponin I concentrations were monitored following the vascular operation and the blinded results were correlated with outcomes. A peri-operative myocardial infarction (MI), defined by an increase in cardiac troponin I greater than the 99th percentile reference (> or =0.1 microg/L), occurred in 100 patients (26.5%) and the incidence was not dissimilar in patients with and without pre-operative coronary revascularization (24.2 vs. 28.6%; P = 0.32). By logistic regression analysis, predictors of MI (odds risk; 95%CI; P-value) were age >70 (1.84; 1.14-2.98; P = 0.01), abdominal aortic surgery (1.82; 1.09-3.03; P = 0.02), diabetes (1.86; 1.11-3.11; P = 0.02), angina (1.67; 1.03-2.64; P = 0.04), and baseline STT abnormalities (1.62; 1.00-2.6; P = 0.05). At 2.5 years post-surgery, the probability of survival in patients with and without the MI was 0.73 and 0.84, respectively (P = 0.03, log-rank test). Using a Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, a peri-operative MI in diabetic patients was a strong predictor of long-term mortality (hazards ratio: 2.43; 95% CI: 1.31-4.48; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Among patients with coronary artery disease who undergo vascular surgery, a peri-operative elevation in cardiac troponin levels is common and in combination with diabetes, is a strong predictor of long-term mortality. These data support the utility of cardiac troponins as a means of stratifying high-risk patients following vascular operations.

Aortitis and bacterial endocarditis.

Aortitis is an inflammatory condition that can be due to numerous causes. It is a diagnostic quandary because it commonly shows similar clinical, pathologic, and aortographic features independently of the etiology. A case of aortitis, possibly secondary to bacterial endocarditis, initially misdiagnosed as an atherosclerotic aortic ulcer and managed with an endoprosthesis is presented. On the fourth postoperative day, the patient presented with fever and worsening abdominal pain, which was later diagnosed as infectious aortitis. It required débridement and replacement of the infrarenal aorta with a cadaveric cryopreserved allograft. This case emphasizes the need for early diagnosis and aggressive therapy to avoid life-threatening sequelae.

Comparison of resident self-assessments with trained faculty and standardized patient assessments of clinical and technical skills in a structured educational module.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the reliability of surgical resident self-assessment in comparison with faculty and standardized patient (SP) assessments during a structured educational module focused on perioperative management of a simulated adverse event. METHODS: Seven general surgery residents participated in this module. Residents were assessed during videotaped preoperative and postoperative SP encounters and when dissecting a tumor off of a standardized inanimate vena cava model in a simulated operating room. RESULTS: Preoperative and postoperative assessments by SPs correlated significantly (P < .05) with faculty assessments (r = .75 and r = .79, respectively), but not resident self-assessments. Coefficient alpha was greater than .70 for all assessments except resident preoperative self-assessments. CONCLUSIONS: Faculty and SP assessments can provide reliable data useful for formative feedback. Although resident self-assessment may be useful for the formative assessment of technical skills, results suggest that in the absence of training, residents are not reliable self-assessors of preoperative and postoperative interactions with SPs.

Clinical factors associated with long-term mortality following vascular surgery: outcomes from the Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis (CARP) Trial.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative cardiac risks and clinical indications for vascular surgery are both important determinants of outcome following a vascular operation. Using the nonrandomized cohort from the Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis (CARP) Trial, we analyzed the predictors of outcome based on the presenting vascular problem and prevalence of comorbid conditions and cardiac risks. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between March 1, 1999 and February 28, 2003, 4414 patients were ineligible for randomization in the CARP Trial and their survival was retrieved through the BIRLS system (the Department of Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Identification and Records Locator Subsystem). Surgical indications were either an abdominal aortic aneurysm (N = 1598) or lower extremity ischemia for claudication (N = 1116), rest pain (N = 670), or tissue loss (N = 1030). Patients were screened for major cardiac risks that included a history of angina, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmias, pathological q-waves, and diabetes. The absence of multiple cardiac risks, as the sole reason for exclusion from randomization, occurred in 2314 (52.4%) screened patients and their probability of survival at 2.5-year post-surgery was 0.88. This was better than the survival of the remaining excluded patients (N = 2100), which was 0.75 (P < .0001) and the randomized cohort (N = 462), which was 0.80 (P < .0001). By Cox regression analysis, urgent surgery, congestive heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias and creatinine >3.5 mg/dL were significantly associated with long-term postoperative mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Patients without multiple cardiac risks or comorbid conditions have a good outcome following elective vascular surgery. Urgent surgery, creatinine >3.5 mg/dL, congestive heart failure, and ventricular arrhythmias are identifiers of a poor long-term outcome and may justify aggressive strategies for risk-stratification in the postoperative period.

Coronary artery bypass grafting is superior to percutaneous coronary intervention in prevention of perioperative myocardial infarctions during subsequent vascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: Among patients in need of coronary revascularization before an elective vascular operation, the value of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) versus percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in preventing perioperative myocardial infarctions is uncertain. We hypothesized that more complete revascularization would improve outcomes after vascular surgery. METHODS: In this Veterans Affairs Cooperative trial involving 18 medical centers, 222 patients underwent elective vascular surgery after coronary revascularization. The mode of coronary revascularization was selected at each site by the local investigators (CABG in 91 patients and PCI in 131 patients). The vascular surgical indications were similar in both groups. RESULTS: There were 2 deaths in the CABG group (2.2%) and 5 deaths in the PCI group (3.8%; p = 0.497) after the vascular procedure. There were fewer perioperative myocardial infarctions after the vascular operation in CABG patients (6.6%) than in PCI patients (16.8%; p = 0.024), despite more diseased vessels in the CABG group (3.0 +/- 1.3 versus 2.2 +/- 1.4, respectively; p < 0.001). The completeness of revascularization (defined as the number of coronary artery vessels revascularized relative to the total number of vessels with a stenosis > or = 70%) in patients in the CABG and PCI groups was 117% +/- 63% and 81% +/- 57%, respectively (p < 0.001). Hospital length of stay in CABG versus PCI patients was 6 (4, 8) and 7 (4, 10) days, respectively (p = 0.078). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients receiving multivessel coronary artery revascularization as prophylaxis for elective vascular surgery, patients having a CABG had fewer myocardial infarctions and tended to spend less time in the hospital after the vascular operation than patients having a PCI. More complete revascularization accounted for the intergroup differences.

Postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing elective revascularization for critical limb ischemia and intermittent claudication: a subanalysis of the Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis (CARP) trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the perioperative mortality, myocardial infarction rate, and long-term survival of patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) compared with those with intermittent claudication (IC) within a cohort selected for significant coronary artery disease, a secondary analysis was conducted of a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial of Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis (CARP) before peripheral vascular surgery. This multicenter trial was sponsored by the Cooperative Studies Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. METHODS: Of the 510 patients enrolled in the CARP trial and randomized to coronary revascularization or no revascularization before elective vascular surgery, 143 had CLI and 164 had IC as an indication for lower limb revascularization; >95% of each group were men. The presence of coronary artery disease was determined by cardiac catheterization. Eligible patients had at least one treatable coronary lesion of > or =70%. Those with significant left main disease, ejection fraction of <20%, and aortic stenosis were excluded. Patients were randomized to coronary artery disease revascularization or no revascularization before vascular surgery and followed for mortality and morbidity perioperatively and for a median of 2.7 years postoperatively. Medical treatment of coronary artery disease was pursued aggressively. RESULTS: Patients with IC had a longer time from randomization to vascular surgery (p = .001) and more abdominal operations (p < .001). Patients with CLI had more urgent operations (p = .006), reoperations (p < .001), and limb loss (p = .008) as well as longer hospital stays (p < .001). The IC group had more perioperative myocardial infarctions (CLI, 8.4%; IC, 17.1%; p = .024), although perioperative mortality was similar (CLI, 3.5%; IC, 1.8%; p = .360). In follow-up, the IC group also had numerically more myocardial infarctions (CLI, 16.8%; IC, 25%; p = .079), but mortality was not different (CLI, 21%; IC, 22%; p = .825). Coronary artery revascularization did not lower perioperative or long-term mortality in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that patients with significant coronary artery disease and either CLI or IC can undergo vascular surgery with low mortality and morbidity, and these results are not improved by coronary artery revascularization before vascular surgery. Furthermore, when selected for the presence of symptomatically stable, severe coronary artery disease, there is no difference in long-term survival between patients with CLI and IC. Finally, the better-than-predicted outcomes for these patients with advanced systemic atherosclerosis may be due to aggressive medical management with beta-blockers, statins, and acetylsalicylic acid.

Management of adverse surgical events: a structured education module for residents.

BACKGROUND: This pilot project involved the development of a structured, experiential, educational module using a bench model technical skills simulation and standardized patients. It integrated teaching and assessment of clinical, technical, and interpersonal skills, as well as professionalism within the context of an adverse surgical event. METHODS: General surgery residents (postgraduate year [PGY] 2, 3) were asked to participate in the pre-, intra-, and postoperative management of a patient with a retroperitoneal sarcoma. Residents' performances during the module were assessed by standardized patients and faculty, and residents were provided feedback during debriefing sessions. RESULTS: Resident performance during the module was appropriate for the level of training. Residents found this module to be a realistic, challenging, and beneficial learning experience. CONCLUSIONS: Novel educational modules such as this one may serve as a useful addition to resident education in surgery residency programs, particularly in addressing patient safety and the core competencies. Reliability of the model may be enhanced by modifications of the module.

The utility of screening renal ultrasonography: identifying renal cell carcinoma in an elderly asymptomatic population.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and utility of screening renal ultrasonography (RUS) in older patients with a high prevalence of risk factors for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), as with the widespread use of advanced imaging techniques the identification of incidental RCC has increased, and although previous studies in low-risk groups reported little use for screening RUS, its utility in high-risk groups is unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1993 to 1997, screening RUS was completed for 6678 consecutive patients in conjunction with the Aneurysm Detection and Management study. Patient demographics, medical and social history were recorded for each patient. Screening RUS was completed by one ultrasonographer using a 3.5-MHz sector scanner. A urologist verified any abnormalities identified by RUS during consultation. Additional imaging tests were obtained selectively and intervention was recommended based on the results of the genitourinary evaluation. RESULTS: From the screened population of 6678 patients, 817 (12.3%) renal anomalies were found, including a solid renal mass in 22 (0.32%), simple renal cysts in 627 (9.4%), hydronephrosis in 21 (0.31%), renal calculi in 121 (1.8%), or other abnormalities in 24 (0.36%). Treatment was completed for 15 renal cancers; 13 were organ-confined on pathological review. At a mean follow-up of >55 months, 12 of the 15 patients with RCC survived. CONCLUSIONS: In this older cohort, retroperitoneal RUS was an effective tool for case-finding by detecting significant findings in an asymptomatic population. The prevalence of solid renal masses (0.32%) was higher than reported with other screening protocols. Although probably not the best method for generalized primary screening, the use of RUS may still be beneficial for 'secondary' screening in a more selected patient population.

Study of the venous reflux progression.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic venous disease (CVD) often ask whether elective vein surgery could be delayed without consequences. Because the natural history of CVD is not well known, this study was designed to determine its progression in such patients. METHODS: One hundred and sixteen limbs in 90 patients who had at least 2 exams with duplex ultrasound (DU) scanning prior to vein surgery at a university medical center were studied. These were patients who were offered an operation but for various reasons were treated at a later stage. Patients were classified by the CEAP system. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 49 years (range, 23 to 81 years). A second DU scan was performed 1 to 43 months after the initial exam (median, 19 months). Eighty-five limbs (73.3%) were unchanged. Thirteen limbs (11.2%) had progression of clinical stage, and seven had progression on DU scanning as well. Seven limbs progressed from C2 to C3, four limbs from C3 to C4, and two limbs from C4 to C6. Thirty-four limbs had a documented change on repeat DU scanning. In 3 of these limbs, reflux was missed on the initial exam; therefore, 31 limbs had progression of disease. The great saphenous vein and tributaries were the most often anatomic sites affected by a change, followed by perforators. Seventeen limbs (14.7%) had extension of pre-existing reflux, and 14 (12.1%) had reflux in a new segment. In 11 of these limbs, a change in the initial plan for treatment was required. Symptomatic or DU changes were noted 6 months or later in 95% of limbs and 74.2% of limbs with disease progression were diagnosed at 12 months or later. All but one of the 13 symptomatic limbs developed symptoms at least a year later. CONCLUSION: Nearly one third of patients with venous reflux had progression. Anatomic extension is frequent with disease progression but not a pre-requisite. Progression was found in most limbs 6 months after the initial study. Patients undergoing treatment for their veins may need another DU exam if this time interval is exceeded.

Coronary-artery revascularization before elective major vascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of coronary-artery revascularization before elective major vascular surgery is unclear. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients at increased risk for perioperative cardiac complications and clinically significant coronary artery disease to undergo either revascularization or no revascularization before elective major vascular surgery. The primary end point was long-term mortality. RESULTS: Of 5859 patients scheduled for vascular operations at 18 Veterans Affairs medical centers, 510 (9 percent) were eligible for the study and were randomly assigned to either coronary-artery revascularization before surgery or no revascularization before surgery. The indications for a vascular operation were an expanding abdominal aortic aneurysm (33 percent) or arterial occlusive disease of the legs (67 percent). Among the patients assigned to preoperative coronary-artery revascularization, percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 59 percent, and bypass surgery was performed in 41 percent. The median time from randomization to vascular surgery was 54 days in the revascularization group and 18 days in the group not undergoing revascularization (P<0.001). At 2.7 years after randomization, mortality in the revascularization group was 22 percent and in the no-revascularization group 23 percent (relative risk, 0.98; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.70 to 1.37; P=0.92). Within 30 days after the vascular operation, a postoperative myocardial infarction, defined by elevated troponin levels, occurred in 12 percent of the revascularization group and 14 percent of the no-revascularization group (P=0.37). CONCLUSIONS: Coronary-artery revascularization before elective vascular surgery does not significantly alter the long-term outcome. On the basis of these data, a strategy of coronary-artery revascularization before elective vascular surgery among patients with stable cardiac symptoms cannot be recommended.

Disparate opinions regarding indications for coronary artery revascularization before elective vascular surgery.

Despite consensus guidelines, the optimal strategy for preoperative cardiac risk management among patients scheduled for major noncardiac surgery remains controversial. This study assesses current opinion about the role of preoperative coronary revascularization for patients with coronary artery disease scheduled for elective vascular surgery. Thirty-one practicing cardiologists recruited from 4 different regions reviewed case records, imaging tests, and coronary angiograms of 12 patients with coronary artery disease participating in the Coronary Artery Revascularization Prophylaxis (CARP) trial. The need for preoperative coronary revascularization was determined and results summarized using 3 categories: favoring conservative management, neutral, or recommending revascularization (either by percutaneous intervention or bypass surgery). We found recommendations were frequently disparate and often deviated from published guidelines (40% of the time). The likelihood of discordance between 2 cardiologists was 54%, with a 26% chance that recommendations for revascularization would be directly contradictory. Opinions were more often conservative (43%) or aggressive (40%) than neutral (17%). Similar inconsistency was found as to the preferred method of revascularization, with only 1 patient having complete agreement. Thus, this study reveals substantial differences of opinion among cardiologists across the country about the role of preoperative coronary artery revascularization for patients scheduled for elective vascular operations. Deviations from published guidelines are common, suggesting that current consensus statements need additional data to support their recommendations.

Predictors of early discharge following open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Patients undergoing endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair have lower perioperative morbidity and leave the hospital earlier than patients undergoing open repair. However, potential complications require continuous surveillance of endografts and there are few data regarding their long-term fate. If an open operation were well tolerated, this might be a preferable alternative. The purpose of this study was to identify patients with lower morbidity and shorter hospital stay following open AAA repair and to analyze factors that might point to open repair as the preferred approach. We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent AAA repair between 1995 and 2000 at our institution. All patients with ruptured aneurysms and those that required renal, celiac, or superior mesenteric reconstructions during the AAA repair were excluded. Patient demographics, preoperative comorbid conditions, intraoperative data, and postoperative complications were analyzed in detail. A total of 115 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. There was only one perioperative death (0.9%). The mean hospital stay was 8.1 days. A history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and longer operative time were independent factors associated with prolonged hospital stay. Forty-one patients (35.6%) left the hospital in 5 or less days. Compared to the group with hospital stay >5 days, these patients had a lower incidence of COPD (7.3% vs. 25.7%, p < 0.05) and smaller-size AAAs (5.6 vs. 6.4 cm, p < 0.0001), and were more often operated on via a retroperitoneal approach (61% vs. 40.5%, p < 0.05). Their time in the operating room was less (3.5 vs. 4.5 hr, p < 0.0001), and they had less estimated blood loss (750 vs. 1500 cc, p < 0.001) and fewer transfusions (0.95 vs. 2.45 units, p < 0.0001). Patients without COPD and smaller AAAs that can be repaired via a retroperitoneal approach have a lower incidence of perioperative complications and a shorter hospital stay following open AAA repair. Until long-term results for endografts are available, our data suggest that these patients are well served with an open repair.

Same-evening discharge after carotid endarterectomy: our initial experience.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to review the initial implementation of a same-evening discharge algorithm for patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). METHOD: We conducted a retrospective review of a prospective database of patients undergoing CEA over 3 years. RESULTS: From January 2000 to December 2002, 207 patients underwent CEA, of which 186 qualified for same-evening discharge. Fifty-nine patients (32%) who qualified were discharged to home the same evening; none had an adverse event after discharge. The most common reason for patients not to be discharged the same evening was exiting the operating room too late (n = 63, 34%). Thirteen patients chose to stay overnight, and 11 patients did not go home secondary to physician choice. None of these patients experienced any adverse sequelae during the overnight stay. CONCLUSION: Same-evening discharge after CEA is safe and feasible in selected patients. Currently, nearly one third of our patients are discharged within 8 hours of CEA. With appropriate scheduling, patient education, and increasing physician awareness, most patients can be discharged to home the same evening after CEA.

Quality of life, impotence, and activity level in a randomized trial of immediate repair versus surveillance of small abdominal aortic aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: We compared long-term health-related quality-of-life outcome after randomization to immediate elective repair or imaging surveillance, and in relation to time of elective repair, in patients with small asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was carried out in 16 Veterans Affairs medical centers. Study subjects were patients at good surgical risk, aged 50 to 79 years, with AAAs 4.0 to 5.4 cm in diameter. Interventions included immediate open surgical AAA repair or imaging surveillance every 6 months with repair reserved for AAAs that became symptomatic or enlarged to 5.5 cm. Main outcome measures considered were SF-36 health status questionnaire, prevalence of impotence, and maximum activity level, which were determined at randomization and at all follow-up visits. RESULTS: Eleven hundred thirty-six patients were randomized and followed up for 3.5 to 8 years (mean, 4.9 years). The two randomized groups did not differ significantly for most SF-36 scales at most times, but the immediate repair group scored higher overall in general health (P <.0001), which was particularly evident in the first 2 years after randomization, and slightly lower in vitality (P <.05). The baseline value of one SF-36 scale, physical functioning, was an independent predictor of mortality. Overall, more patients became impotent after randomization to immediate repair compared with surveillance (P <.03), but this difference did not become apparent until more than 1 year after randomization. Maximum activity level did not differ significantly between the two randomized groups, but decline over time was significantly greater in the immediate repair group (P <.02). CONCLUSIONS: For most quality-of-life measures and times there was no difference between randomized groups. Immediate repair resulted in a higher prevalence of impotence more than 1 year after randomization, but was also associated with improved perception of general health in the first 2 years.